News

Pembrokeshire’s top Special encourages more volunteers to sign up

Published

8 years ago

February 2, 2018

A VOLUNTEER chief inspector has described joining the Dyfed-Powys Police Special Constabulary as the best thing he ever did.

Nine years ago, Specials Chief Inspector Chris Evans took the plunge and applied to become a Special Constable – and he hasn’t looked back. Now he’s encouraging people to apply as the force opens recruitment on Monday, February 5.

Specials are volunteer police officers who have the same powers as regular officers. They go on foot and car patrol, can be sent to incidents ranging from antisocial behaviour and criminal damage, to public disorder and assaults, and have the power of arrest. The only difference between Specials and regular officers is that the time they give to the force – a minimum of 16 hours a month – is voluntary.

SCI Evans started his Specials career in Pembrokeshire, and has worked his way up to Special Chief Inspector. He now takes responsibility for a team of inspectors across the four business command units. His role is to ensure they are working in line with force priorities and following the Police and Crime Commissioner’s plan.

SCI Evans volunteers around 30 hours each month but says he will never forget his first shift.

“I arrested someone in Haverfordwest for arson with intent to endanger life,” he said.

“I didn’t expect to make an arrest on my very first shift, but you just don’t know what’s going to happen.

“That’s part of what’s so amazing about the role – it’s so unexpected.”

SCI Evans was encouraged by his partner – a police officer – to apply to become a Special, and said it was the difference between the role and his regular job that made him apply. This is a common reason among Specials, who come from all walks of life and have day jobs ranging from teacher and theatre marketing manager to emergency call handler and forensic vehicle examiner.

“There were a few reasons why I applied, but the main one was that it was something so different to my job,” he said. “I was working in the control room of an oil refinery, which is so far from being a police officer. I decided to give it a go and I’ve never looked back.”

Recruitment for Special Constables is open from Monday, February 5 to Wednesday, March 7, and SCI Evans has urged anyone thinking about applying to just go for it.

“I would encourage people to apply in a heartbeat,” he said.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. It opens so many avenues and you learn so much about people that you could never learn anywhere else.

“There’s no other job like it.”

Applicants must submit a written application form, pass a medical and vetting and fitness test. They then go through seven weekends of initial training, which covers aspects of law, personal safety training, restraint techniques, conflict management, role play scenarios, training on force systems, dealing with antisocial behaviour, stop search and standard search procedures.

This is followed up by divisional training once a month on their respective divisions where their knowledge is built upon. They start work books as soon as they come in and follow these through to completion on division – once they have completed their workbooks and have had them signed off they achieve independent patrol status.

News

Lib Dems call for emergency VAT cut for hospitality as families ‘priced out’

Published

16 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS are calling for an emergency 5% VAT cut for pubs, restaurants and other hospitality and entertainment businesses in next week’s Budget — part of a bold £12 billion plan to tackle the cost-of-living crisis that has made “going out an unaffordable luxury” for many families.

Under the proposals, VAT would be reduced from 20% to 15% on hospitality, accommodation and visitor attractions. The move would boost struggling high streets and bring down prices for hard-pressed families across Wales.

The plan forms part of a two-pronged “cost of living and cost of doing business rescue package,” which also calls on the Chancellor to cut household energy bills by scrapping the current renewables obligation levy. Together, these measures — to remain in place until April 2027 — would save a typical family around £270 over the next 18 months.

Funding would come from a new windfall tax on big banks, originally proposed by the IPPR think tank. The tax could raise an estimated £30 billion between now and 2030, with less than half of that needed to cover the cost of the VAT cut (£7.5bn) and the removal of the renewables obligation levy (£4.5bn).

The Liberal Democrats say their proposals would give a vital boost to Welsh pubs, restaurants and entertainment venues currently struggling under the “double whammy” of high taxes and falling customer spending.

Recent research by More in Common found that almost two in three Britons (59%) believe restaurant meals are now unaffordable for most people, while over half (51%) said the same about a night out at the pub, and 45% about a trip to the cinema.

David Chadwick, Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster Spokesperson, said: “People are working with their nose to the grindstone all month and have next to nothing left over after sky-high bills and spiralling food prices.

In years gone by, people could look forward to fish and chips on a Friday or a weekend trip to the cinema. Now those small joys – the ones that make life worth living – are becoming an unaffordable luxury for too many.

High street businesses have been hammered by Labour’s jobs tax, so it’s no wonder so many treasured pubs, restaurants and cafés are closing their doors, taking with them vital jobs and community spaces.

It doesn’t have to be that way. With a new voting system in the Senedd, every single vote for the Welsh Liberal Democrats will count and deliver change with fairness at its heart.

Our plans to cut VAT on hospitality and energy bills would put £270 back into people’s pockets, making it easier to heat their homes and spend a little more locally. This would help restore our high streets, drive economic growth and give the country a much-needed morale boost.”

Crime

Haverfordwest man fined for damaging car wing mirror

Published

17 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Court Reporter

Victim later retracted statement, court hears

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been fined after admitting to damaging a car wing mirror belonging to a woman in the town earlier this year.

Luke Owen, 33, of Wayside Close, Simpson Cross, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Nov 12), where he pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

The court heard that on May 7, 2025, Owen damaged the wing mirror of a black Peugeot 2008.

Prosecutor Sian Vaughan said the damage was minor, and a victim personal statement was not presented to the court as the complainant had since retracted it.

Owen, represented by Mike Kelleher of Welch & Co Solicitors, was fined £40.

He was also ordered to pay £20 in compensation, £85 in prosecution costs, and a £16 victim surcharge.

Magistrates allowed the fine to be deducted from Owen’s benefits.

Crime

Whitland woman’s no-insurance charge discontinued

Published

17 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Court Reporter

A WHITLAND woman accused of aiding another person to drive without insurance has had her case discontinued at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.

Louise Mary Hook, 52, of Compton House, Llanfallteg, was alleged to have aided and abetted Christopher Rone in using a Fiat Ducato van without insurance on High Street, Narberth, on May 15.

The prosecution claimed that Hook had encouraged or permitted Rone to drive the vehicle when no valid insurance policy was in force.

However, when the case came before magistrates on Tuesday (Nov 12), the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that the matter had been discontinued and no further action would be taken.